SHAWANO, WI – An endangered fish is pushing through its tough times and making a comeback!

SHAWANO, WI – An endangered fish is pushing through its tough times and making a comeback!

The whisker-snouted sturgeon has been a species on the steady decline. It has fought through whatever killed the dinosaurs and against habitat destruction and overfishing. Although a number of the 25 species are endangered, a pocket in upper Wisconsin has shined a positive light on the revival of the fish.

The fish can thank the state’s strict spearing limits, poaching laws, restocking efforts and the popular spring spawning.

“If we can restore the sturgeon population in the Great Lakes and manage the current population effectively, then we know we are doing a pretty good job of managing the other aspects of the aquatic community,” said state sturgeon expert Ron Bruch.

The Lake Winnebago system boasts one of the highest populations of the species. There are roughly 40,000 lake sturgeons and hundreds of people have visited to see the sturgeon writhe and splash as they lay eggs. Sturgeons can grow up to 300 pounds and look like a cross between a catfish and a shark.